A winning debut.
In the kingdom of Keirdre, sirens are presumed extinct.
The trouble is that Saoirse is very much a siren—and not only does she live in Keirdre, she regularly gives into her instincts to kill by seducing men marked for death by the Employer, her anonymous boss, using her astounding beauty and entrancing singing. Her earnings supplement her family’s meager income from operating a flour mill under the exploitative rule of the Royals, the all-powerful fae at the top of Keirdre’s social hierarchy. Because Royals hate sirens more than any other creature, she hides in plain sight, disguised as an ikatus, or fae without a magical affinity. No shrinking violet, Saoirse is at the top of her class at graduation and gunning for an esteemed position in the Keirdren military. When she is instead offered a position as a guard to Prince Hayes, she initially rejects the position out of disdain for the Royals, but when Rain, Saoirse’s beloved and vulnerable little sister, receives a threatening letter, Saoirse joins the prince’s guard in hopes that proximity to the Royals will help her identify the blackmailer. Questions pile up, leading Saoirse into a deep web of deceit and intrigue in a thrilling page-turner. Snappy dialogue, unpredictable plot twists, skillful worldbuilding, strong characterization, and steamy, sensual tension between Saoirse and the prince create an immersive tale with an empowering social justice tone centering a predominantly Black and brown cast.
A winning debut. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1037-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring.
When Death-Cast doesn’t call, fate intertwines the lives of two boys, both haunted by their pasts and with futures they can’t escape.
In this third installment of the series that opened with 2017’s They Both Die at the End, Paz Dario waits every night for Death-Cast to call—as it should have for his father nearly 10 years ago, when Paz shot him to save his mother’s life. But the call never comes. Death-Cast killed Paz’s dreams of an acting career: No one will hire him now because the world sees him as a villain. When Paz tries (not for the first time) to put an end to his suffering, an unexpected encounter with Alano Rosa, the heir of Death-Cast, stops him. Both in a place of desperation, Alano and Paz sign a contract to live for Begin Days instead of waiting for their End Days. As suspenseful and emotionally wrenching as the previous titles in the series, this new installment explores heavy themes of abuse, mental health, self-harm, and suicide. Paz grapples with a recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Silvera surrounds Alano and Paz with a web of complex relationships. Although the protagonists fall fast for one another and form a deep connection over Alano’s desire to support Paz, Silvera emphasizes the importance of professional help. Both Alano and Paz have Puerto Rican heritage. The cliffhanger ending promises more to come.
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring. (content warning, resources) (Speculative fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063240858
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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